Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-27
BIG MONEY IN PoRPoIsEs.
Oil From Their Jawbones and Their
Elesh Ground Into Sausages.

Oil From Their Jawb0nes and Their
Flesh Ground Into Sausages.
The establishment OF porpoise fisheries
along the entire Atlantic coast Is likely
to be more question OF time than any
thing else. Mr.. Alfred Won Nyvenheim.
epresentativein Savannah OF the Norfolk
Oyster Company, of Boston, and of W.
j. Crosby & Co., oyster dealers of Nor
folk, Va, is one OF the beet posted men in
the oyster and fsn business in the coun-
try. He has been for fourteen years con.
nected with one of the largest oyster
houses on the coast, and is a recognized
authority on all matters connected with
the trade.
In speaking yesterday Of the ex tensive
porpoise fisheries on the New JERSEY
coast, be gave some very interesting facts
Ia regard 10 the ways in which the diff
ierent parts u the porpOse are utilized
and cOnVerte INTO articles of commerce.
The principal pOrpoise fisheries are at
Cape May, where two Of the largest
fish oil manufactures in the country
are located. There are altogether six or
elght manufactures IN the vicinity of
Delaware bay. The porpoise is caught
chiefly for the oil which Is obtained from
the bead and jaw bones, and which IS con-
sdered the finest lubricating oil made,
ut uiedt Is sui pp6u bO Tue New ON
and Philadelphia markets. where it is
sold as substitute for pork
aud beef to the cheap restaurants,
and it is also largely used in the manu-
tacture OF sausages and m nee meat. The
meat is regarded IN tue South as unfit for
use, and even by the Northern epicures
1t is not considered as dainty as
/ speckled trout. Among seaiaring men it
Is a tavorite dish. Mr.. Won Nyvenheim
/ followed the sea for fourteen years,
/ and he says that he never knew
porpolse steak or liver stew to be re-
fused. The meat is black. The choice
/ parts lie alongside the back bone. When
| properly cooked he says tGat the meat IS
! very similar 10 pork, aud porpolse liver
cannot be told from hogs liver. In the
| days Of 'square-riggers," TO use Dir. Won
/ Nkvenheim's words, "wOen porpoise
was served up, the liver and back pieces
went TO the cabin and what was left went
| to the f0recdstle.'
The sale OF the meat is quite an impor-
tant item to the fishermen. 1t usually
brings irOm SC. TO &c. per pound, and the
meat OF an average size porpoIse will
OrIng anywhere from 81 TO so. The yield
OF oil from the head and jaws Is worth
from s. 80 TO 81. Within few years the
| bid - nave been used for leather, and thus
every part OF the tsh is utilized. The
weight OF the average porpoise Is about
40 pounds, and their market value MI.
Ven Nyvenhelm roughly estimates at
about SIP.
The use OF the hides and the demand
which mas sprung up for pOrpoIse leather
since its manufacture WAS begun. a little
over two years ago, we're explained IN
the MORNING NEWS yesterday. The
Esh men here seemed TO have known very
ittle about the porpo;Se, and one of them
< XpT ssed doubt thas the "bIg Jumpers"
Z t.Cu'1 hp patlV hi with any thjpv lpEa
d WlTe seine or wi Il harpOon.
Mr. Won SyVenheIm says that the New
Jersey fishermen use heavy cord seine
VITA SIX TO eiLht-inch meshes. Ine seine
Is east from ten to twelve miles of the
coast, and the pOrl olse, wEicu run IN
schools. are driven into il. The seine is
Iren bauied, Toe hsh become entangled
~ the mesDes and are killed with oar.
poems. the fishing season is from about
The middle of April 10 the middle OF
! August, ard tue catches during that time
/ are very large.
The manufacturing industry which mas
/ crown out or the New Jersey fisheries IS
already extensive and Is developing rap
/ idly. When the business was started Six
/ years ago the income from one iActo.y
/ during Two months MAS s. 400. The bust
! ness was tUen just begun and was 10 its
/ Infancy. OF course, it is mucl larger
now.
One Of the greatest sporting grounds
Tor TIE porpoise is jus, in the edge Of
the Cult stream, where the cold
and warm cur ents separate off
Cape Hatteras. The PROPOSES are
found there u immense schools and are
Always seen in larger numbers than
n any other spot on t0e coast. No at
;empt las ever been made, however, to
establish fishery there.
Mr.. Won NyVennelm has a photograph
Of captured scnool OF porp0Ises and
black fs1 as they lay dead on toe
beach al Nellfeet, Mass. here they are
( eau ht in large numbers. The catch
rom which the photograph was taken
was made year ago last Oct jber.
fleet OF boats went out aud drove the lisa
u sHore. As soou as they reached shallow
water the fishermen laaped from their
boats, aid VITO harp0ons killed - por-
pui5es auu GO black fish. The oil w0ich
as obtained from tue bodies melted
/ s.. 20o.
ine porpoise abopnds of the Georgia
coast, and comes INTO the rivers III large
schools, 40 tnaL \ porpoise fishery mere
: Win probable results MAJ D. one of the
enterprises OF the early future.
the Shipment OF oysters To tn Northern
markets, Wulcn Is Mr.. Won NvNenhelm's
business IN Savannah. Is rapidly develop
ing, and in few years, at the present
( at, Clustering VIII hecOme one OF the
most important OF Southern Industries.
I Three years ago air. Won NyVenhelm
/ shipped to MS firm IN Boston s, 400 gallons.
. Last year mis- snipments aggregated $500
( gallons, and this year they will he much
( iar-eT.